All Along the Watchtower
by Hafthand
Summary: In the future Spike and Willow along with the slayers battle it out against the deadliest enemy yet as Hell makes it's home on earth. Meanwhile, in the past Buffy and Spike along with the Scoobies, are only just beginning to fall down the path that change
1. Prologue: A Watcher's First Lesson

Title: All Along the Watchtower (Prologue)  
  
Author: Hafthand@aol.com  
  
Summary: This is the "All Along the Watchtower" series. Things tend to spin out of control. What if something happened in the past that changed the future, and not for good. In the future Spike and Willow, with the help of the new Slayers, battle it out against the deadliest enemy yet as Hell slowly makes it's home on Earth. Meanwhile in the past, Buffy and Spike and the rest of the Scoobies are only beginning to fall down the path that changed the world.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Property of Joss and his wonderful company of Mutant Enemy  
  
Archiving: I would love it archived, but please ask me first so I know where it goes!  
  
NOTES: PLEASE READ VERY IMPORTANT!! Okay folks, this is going to be a long story with many chapters, and be somewhat confusing at first, but I promise it will make sense later. Okay this is how it is set up. Each chapter begins with a song, this song should be read because it helped influence the chapter and may give clues to what will occur. After that, the story. Now the story goes like this: The future world of Sunnydale is where the action of this story takes place. The flashbacks to Buffy's time shed light on how the Earth came to be overrun by demons. The flashbacks are also the lighter parts of this fic seeing as the future parts are pretty dark.  
  
This is a drama fic with dark parts and humorous parts.  
  
Any questions, please e-mail me at Hafthand@aol.com  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Prologue: A Watcher's First Lesson  
  
"There must be some kind of way out of here  
  
said the joker to the thief  
  
There's too much confusion...  
  
I can't get no relief  
  
  
  
Business men, they drink my wine  
  
Plowman dig my earth  
  
None of them along the line  
  
know what any of it is worth  
  
  
  
No reason to get excited  
  
the thief, he kindly spoke  
  
There are many here among us  
  
Who feel that life is but a joke  
  
  
  
But you and I, we've been through that  
  
and this is not our fate  
  
So let us not talk falsely now  
  
the hour is getting late  
  
  
  
All along the watchtower  
  
princes kept the view  
  
While al the women came and went  
  
barefoot servants too  
  
  
  
Outside in the distance  
  
a wildcat did growl  
  
Two riders were approaching  
  
the wind began to howl."  
  
-"All Along the Watchtower" by Bob Dylan  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
History Archive Building  
  
London, England  
  
Beneath the Thames River  
  
  
  
A lone woman sits behind a charred and worn desk. Her hair is pinned to the top of her head with care. Her once blond hair has turned white with age. Gold, wire-framed glasses sit perched on her crooked nose. Age is apparent on her face, but how old is a mystery. She is dressed in a simple gray pant's suit. Not expensive, not cheap. The outfit is reminiscent of times long gone. She smiles as she creases a wrinkle out of her jacket. She smiles because of the trivialness of her move. No one will see the wrinkle, no one would even care if they did see the wrinkle. No one cared about appearance very much anymore. Or so she'd been told.  
  
But she, being from a scholarly and mannerly line, took pride in what others could not. She sat behind the desk sorting through some recent additions to the expansive library. Demons: A Study of the Night Habits of South American Demons, read one title. "South America," she thought to herself. She'd read somewhere that it had been beautiful once. Covered in rainforests and animals like no one had ever seen. Such beauty! What she wouldn't give to see it for herself.  
  
Putting the book in a pile to her right she picked up the next, reading the title out loud to the vast emptiness around her, "Witchcraft and Wizardry: Spells for the Novice." She laughed a little at the title and placed that book in the pile to her left. Witchcraft, for novices no less, that book was definitely going in the secured area. If it were to be found- her thoughts were cut off as she heard a noise. It sounded as though someone had dropped a pencil in the stacks. "Impossible," she said to herself. No one had visited the library in many months.  
  
She stood and looked around the stacks nearest her. The library itself was built in a huge underground cavern, roughly the size of five football fields. She heard a grunt and then footsteps. She sat behind her desk and opened a drawer. Grasping her long sword by the hilt she sat patiently and waited for her unexpected visitor.  
  
The light footsteps grew closer and closer until finally she could make out a tiny silhouette against the light by the nearest stacks. "Ms. McKelly?" called out a soft male voice. "Ms. McKelly, is that you?" asked the intruder while walking closer.  
  
"Yes, I be she. You lad, step into the light, let me get a look at you," she ordered not letting go of the sword hilt. The boy stepped into the light and approached the desk. He was young she noticed, couldn't be more then 8. He had dark brown hair which stuck up every which way and curled a little around his ears. His eyes were a dark brown to match his hair, and his accent, American. He was somewhat tall for his age and also very hesitant. She motioned him forward, still not letting the sword-hilt go. One could never be too careful these days. "Okay lad, state your business here." She ordered firmly.  
  
The boy bowed slightly and began his speech, "By order of the Watcher's Council I come seeking knowledge and power. I walk in the light, serve the light, and die by the light. May what I hold inside never fade into darkness. May my time spent here be time spent well. I seek knowledge for what I may do, and power for what I can. May I learn?" This earned a gasp from the usually stoic Ms. McKelly. She loosed her grip on the weapon and stood up to peer down at the boy.  
  
"You come here to learn lad?" she asked skeptically and her eyes grew a bit bigger when he nodded yes. "Bloody hell but you are young. Are the watchers crazy lad? They want me to teach you? Are things that bad up there that they send a child?" She said aloud but directed her questions more towards the ceiling then the boy before her.  
  
She thought back on all her years here in the library. She hadn't left for a good long while, and in all her time here she had never encountered a watcher trainee so young. They usually sent them to her at around 16 years of age. Perhaps she would speak to Ceilia later and find out just how bad things were. Her thoughts were interrupted as the boy began to answer her questions.  
  
"I come here to learn, age matters not where knowledge is concerned," he said proudly though she could see his lip tremble slightly, tremble not in fear, but fatigue. His eyes were sunken and bloodshot. The journey the boy must have had to make from America to come before her to learn.  
  
"Ah spoken like a true watcher!" she chuckled. "So they prepared you for my astonishment did they? Well if I am to teach one I must first know his name!" she said regally.  
  
The boy's eyes met her for the first time and all thoughts of him being afraid fled her mind. His eyes spoke of years beyond what one so young should have. He opened his mouth and told her his name, "Alexander Lavelle Harris the 13th." The young boy watched as her mouth dropped open and she sat back slowly into her seat. She took off her gold, wire-frame glasses and looked at him intensely.  
  
A small smile spread across her face as she told the boy, " I see now why they sent you so young, I do see indeed. I have waited a long time for you, a long time indeed. I had begun to fear you would never come; I had begun to fear your father was-. Well Alexander Lavelle Harris the 13th, welcome to your new home. I am Miss Lily McKelly, and I shall be your teacher, friend and confidant for the next several years of your life." She smiled down warmly at the boy and noticed how he met the news of having to stay in the library for so long with little surprise. Whoever prepared him for this journey did a wonderful job.  
  
"Nice to meet you Ms. McKelly, and I am well aware of the training I will receive here," he said proudly.  
  
"Yes I suspect you do. I also suspect you already know a lot of what I am going to teach you, but I must ask that you bear with me. It is imperative we start at the beginning and work our way forward. Every watcher must know certain things. And you my young man will learn some things here that may never leave this room. There are things that will be revealed that not many know about and it must stay that way. This library and its location is secret and protected by great magicks. Once you leave here you may only ever return when in grave need, and you must tell no one about it. You understand of course what would happen if they found this place." He nodded and she walked around her desk and placed a gentle, old hand on his shoulder. "You have nothing to fear here boy. These walls have been waiting for you since your father arrived, as they will wait in silence for your son's arrival." She paused giving him a chance to say something if he wished.  
  
He ran his hands through is unruly hair, turned and looked one last time behind him and then met the woman's eyes again. "I'm ready." And with those words the library illuminated in a great burst of light and the boy's future lay awaiting him. Ms. McKelly had taught every watcher that had passed through her halls, of course she had not always been forced to teach them underground and in such secrecy, but never had she taught such great pupils as those whose blood flowed from Xander Harris. His blood was strong and it was her job to teach each descendent of his to survive and keep that blood flowing.  
  
She led the boy into the abyss of knowledge hoping that maybe this time, he would be the last she would teach in secret. Maybe, in the world above, the warriors were winning their seemingly endless battle. Maybe, if she could teach this boy a little more about what the world was like before, he would have a brighter future. Ms. McKelly sighed in frustration knowing very well what future awaited this charming boy. But she had a job, a duty, a destiny, as too did this young lad.  
  
She stopped in front of a stack of particularly old books and grabbed one. She led them to a table and motioned that the boy should sit down. She took the seat across from him and settled herself comfortably. She placed the book in front of her and opened the delicate cover. She flipped carefully and began how she always began, "It had been foretold... 'Into each generation a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the strength and skill to fight the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers."  
  
End: Prologue: A Watcher's First Lesson  
  
Next: Chapter 1: They Stood Up For Love  
  
"It's a grave new world. Prepare yourself for resurrection and retribution." (upn.com)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
By Ally (Hafthand@aol.com) 


	2. Chapter 1: They Stood Up For Love

Title: All Along the Watchtower (Chapter 1)  
  
Author: Hafthand@aol.com  
  
Summary: This is the "All Along the Watchtower" series. Things tend to spin out of control. What if something happened in the past that changed the future, and not for good. In the future Spike and Willow, with the help of the new Slayers, battle it out against the deadliest enemy yet as Hell slowly makes it's home on Earth. Meanwhile in the past, Buffy and Spike and the rest of the Scoobies are only beginning to fall down the path that changed the world.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Property of Joss and his wonderful company of Mutant Enemy  
  
Archiving: I would love it archived, but please ask me first so I know where it goes!  
  
NOTES: PLEASE READ VERY IMPORTANT!! Okay folks, this is going to be a long story with many chapters, and be somewhat confusing at first, but I promise it will make sense later. Okay this is how it is set up. Each chapter begins with a song, this song should be read because it helped influence the chapter and may give clues to what will occur. After that, the story. Now the story goes like this: The future world of Sunnydale is where the action of this story takes place. The flashbacks to Buffy's time shed light on how the Earth came to be overrun by demons. The flashbacks are also the lighter parts of this fic seeing as the future parts are pretty dark.  
  
This is a drama fic with dark parts and humorous parts.  
  
Any questions, please e-mail me at Hafthand@aol.com  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 1: They Stood Up For Love  
  
"Naked lovers feel the blood beneath their veins  
  
Electric nerves communicate  
  
With tiny explosions through their brains  
  
Who is this energy that never left or came?  
  
Give rise to passion the only glory  
  
Of this human story  
  
  
  
I give my heart and soul to the one  
  
  
  
We spend all of our lives goin' out of our minds  
  
Lookin'back to our birth, forward to our demise  
  
Even scientists say, everything is just light  
  
Not created, destroyed, but eternally bright  
  
Masters in every time lord in every place  
  
Those who stood up for love, down in spite of the hate  
  
In spite of the hate  
  
  
  
Who put the flower in the barrel of that gun?  
  
Who lit the candle, started the fire,  
  
Burnt down the fortress, the throne?  
  
Who could house all the refugees in a single shack  
  
or a lowly bungalow?  
  
Who lives in a different dimension, free from the struggles we know?  
  
  
  
I give my heart and soul to the one  
  
  
  
We spend all of our lives goin' out of our minds  
  
Lookin' back to our birth, forward to our demise  
  
Even scientists say, everything is just light  
  
Not created, destroyed, but eternally bright  
  
Masters in every time lord in every place  
  
Those who stood up for love, down in spite of the hate  
  
We spend all of our lives goin' out of our minds  
  
They live in the light  
  
  
  
We made it to the moon  
  
But we can't make it home  
  
Waitin' on a rescue that never comes  
  
Made it to the moon  
  
But we can't make it home  
  
Maybe home is where the heart is given up  
  
To the one, to the one  
  
  
  
We spend all of our lives goin' out of our minds  
  
Lookin' back to our birth, forward to our demise  
  
We spend all of our lives goin' out of our minds  
  
They live, they  
  
  
  
They stood up for love  
  
Stood up for love  
  
Stood up for love  
  
They stood up for love  
  
Stood up for love  
  
Stood up for love  
  
  
  
We spend all of our lives goin' out of our minds  
  
Masters in every time  
  
We spend all of our lives goin' out of our minds  
  
Stood up for love."  
  
-"They Stood Up For Love" by Live  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"It's a grave new world. Prepare yourself for resurrection and retribution." (upn.com)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sunnydale, CA  
  
Summer's Cemetery #9  
  
April 17, 2264  
  
"Fuck! Things are going wrong Red, very wrong," Spike shouted through a cloud of dust.  
  
"You think Spike?!" Willow shouted back sarcastically. What had started out as a routine 'Slam, Bam' had turned very ugly, very quickly as the warriors realized there were more minions then expected.  
  
"Where are they coming from?" Spike shouted as he ducked away from a vamps roundhouse. He sprang back up and brought his fist up slamming it into his enemies gut. He flipped backwards perching on a tombstone. Looking around he saw what he was searching for and dove gracefully through the air over the minions head. Rolling on the ground he recovered his lost stake and turned quickly embedding the stake's point into the other vampire's heart.  
  
"Traitors," the minion hissed before exploding into a pile of dust.  
  
"Yeah, like I haven't heard that before you stupid git," Spike said as he flipped backwards to avoid an enemy's stake. He landed firmly on the ground to the side of the vampire and dusted her immediately. He crouched down as he heard more growls coming from his right. He looked to his left and watched as Willow fought off three more minions. He contemplated helping her but within seconds she executed three quick moves that left her attackers dust.  
  
She looked down and brushed the dust off her red leather pants. He flowy, silk black shirt had been sliced in several locations, none thankfully near the heart. She looked up to make sure Spike was still there and he saw her eyes go big. He felt the vampire behind him and knew he had been careless. He heard Willow muttering in some language he did not know and felt as dust covered his back. "Thanks Red."  
  
"Watch yourself next time," she said as she walked up to him. "Where's Darcy?" she asked, a moment of panic overcoming both as they looked frantically around the graveyard for their companion. Spike jumped to the top of the nearest mausoleum and looked over the huge graveyard.  
  
"Got him. About 500 yards Northeast," Spike shouted down to Willow.  
  
"Got it," she said before both disappeared, only to reappear not 3 yards from Darcy who was currently engaged in a fight with five vampires.  
  
"Glad you decided to finally show," Darcy grunted as he rolled to avoid a punch, but not before one of the other vampires landed a kick to his side. "Think maybe you ponces could give me a damn hand?"  
  
"Sorry mate, had trouble of our own," replied Spike before staking one vampire and flying towards another. Willow kicked a vampire in the knees and he dropped hard. Willow jumped on him and staked him. Darcy, now relieved of three vamps, quickly finished off the other two.  
  
Dusting himself off, and breathing hard, Darcy turned to his companions. "That was over twenty tonight Spike. Twenty. We expected eight. What the hell happened?" Darcy shouted.  
  
"Calm down junior. Your panties are getting bunched," Spike said as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.  
  
"Darcy, do calm down. Listen, we obviously were given bad information. We had better head back to the Bronze and report in," she smiled reassuringly at the young boy. Darcy smiled tightly and mumbled 'Whatever' before heading out of the cemetery.  
  
Willow watched him head towards the tunnels before turning to Spike her eyes flashing with specks of yellow. "Damnit Spike, that is the third time this month our info was crap. You think he knows we're close? You think he can know what we are planning?" Willow asked Spike.  
  
He flicked his fag into the bushes and looked towards where Darcy had been. He glanced back at Willow before starting to collect their fallen weapons. "I don't know Red. Darcy seems to think he always knows where we are. His dreams are getting more vivid the closer we get. I don't know any more damnit! " Suddenly Spike stood up and fastened his eyes on Willows. "About the boy Will, what the hell kind of name is Darcy anyway? Some poofy, nancy-boy name from Austen is what it is," Spike growled as he and Willow headed towards the tunnels as well.  
  
Willow allowed herself to laugh for the first time in a while. She knew Spike was trying to change the subject, and she let him get away with it, this time. "Wow, Jane Austen, that brings back some memories," her laughs died as her and her companion fell silent, lost in their thoughts of days gone by. Willow recovered first and patted Spike on the back. "Anyway, it wasn't your choice to name him Spike. His mother wanted to give him a romantic name, not a fighter's name."  
  
Spike scoffed at this and swung the weapons bag down into the tunnel entrance. "Ha, very funny, only thing is she knew what he was destined to be, I mean look at his father. She knew his destiny was to be the slayer. She should have named him something fierce, hard. Something like..."  
  
"Like William?" Willow asked and laughed again at the look on his face.  
  
"Oh be quiet you silly bint and get your tiny ass down that tunnel," he said, picking up his beloved leather duster and throwing it on over his black leather pants, and plain, black cotton tee. Willow had known this curious vampire for over 260 years and yet his wardrobe was still the same. She once again laughed and enjoyed listening to the sound of it. He looked at her strangely. "You okay there Red? You finally cracking up on me?"  
  
"Spike, I cracked up on you a long time ago," and with that she threw her legs over the side of the access tunnel and let her body fall down the thirty foot drop, choosing to bypass the ladder. She landed squarely on her feet and moved aside as Spike dropped down where she had just been. She turned and started towards the Bronze. She could hear Darcy in the tunnels ahead of them "He's upset Spike."  
  
"So," he mumbled following behind her.  
  
"So, maybe you should talk to him."  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"You know why Spike," he stopped then and gave her a hard look. She returned it, very used to this conversation.  
  
"We are not having this conversation again Red," he said before angrily stomping away. She caught up to him and stopped him with an hand on his arm. He growled slightly and turned to look at her.  
  
"Think about this Spike. The prophets say he is the one, the last one. If we can't win this time around, there will be no more winning, you got that."  
  
"The prophets have been wrong before."  
  
  
  
"Oh Spike," Willow threw up her hands in defeat. "Fine, yes they've been wrong, but listen to me carefully. If he is in fact the one, if he and the girls can in fact change this, this sick place we live in, then he needs to know who and what he is up against." Spike took out another cigarette and lit it up, inhaling the smoke deeply.  
  
He sighed as he let the smoke out. "He knows who he is up against Red. They all know. Hell the whole fuckin' world bloody well knows. Angelus and Dru made sure of that when they moved in."  
  
"Spike, Darcy and the girls, and everyone else may know their names, but they need to know what he is capable of, his ties to me, your ties to him. They are gonna need to know eventually. They can't face him not knowing. Especially Darcy. And as much as you hate to admit it, you want to tell them all, especially the boy." Spike had grown very silent and stared hard at Willow.  
  
Throwing his cigarette on the damp sewer floor he crushed it with his steel- toed black boots. "Yeah, okay, so you're right. But we can't tell him until we're sure he's the one. If he isn't, then there really isn't any reason to turn his whole world upside down. He can barely stand me as it is," Spike said before offering Willow his arm and continuing the three mile trek to the Bronze.  
  
Ahead of the two old friends, Darcy ran swiftly through the tunnels. His anger driving his inhuman speed faster than normal. But unfortunately he was human, and the speed soon wore him out. Darcy Sulfolk decided to walk the rest of the way to the Bronze. He had heard the stories of course, about what the Bronze used to be. Who could even imagine a place built simply for fun? Darcy would have loved to have seen the kids laughing and dancing, not a care in the world, but he was stuck in this one.  
  
Having just turned 16, the slayer was finally allowed to patrol without his watcher, but he still needed the supervision of his two companions. His blood was too precious apparently. So much of his life had been covered in clouds, people only telling him what he needed to know and when he needed to know it. Darcy was 5'8" and still growing. Not particularly tall, but Spike was only 5'10" and he still kicked ass. True, Spike was a Vampire, and his fighting ability stemmed from that part of his demon, but Darcy himself was the slayer and had powers of his own, so his height really didn't bother him.  
  
He roughly brushed his unruly brown-blonde curls behind his ears, his icy blue eyes focusing unnaturally well in the dark sewers. His heightened hearing could just make out the faint progress of Willow and Spike. If he could hear them, they could hear him. So he sped up and continued allowing his thoughts to stray.  
  
He was always in so much constant training that he rarely had a moment to himself. He thought back on his past and pulled up the only image of his mother he could remember. The sun was out and she was holding him close. A man stood next to her, a man Darcy had always assumed was his father. The man had the same hair, build and eye colour as himself. But the man scared him a little. He was hardened by battle and his eyes were old and weary. His mother kissed him and turned back towards her son, smiling. Then the memory faded. That had been the day he had been brought to his watcher. He was only three, but it was his duty, his destiny.  
  
He didn't mind it really, it was all he had really ever known, the fighting. In a world where all there was to do was fight, one couldn't miss the fun things, if one had never experienced them. But Darcy was different. As a Slayer, he had been given training and an education the rest of the population did not. He had trained under his watcher at the watcher's vast library with Ms. McKelly. He missed the old woman, she had been like a mother to him when his watcher was forced to leave on Council business.  
  
Spike and Willow he had known all his life. He had after all been born in Sunnydale. His father, as the slayer was also under the care of Spike and Willow. That was their job. They watched over the slayers in battle, and they themselves were warriors. They'd saved the world countless times, and the world accepted them, even though they were vampires.  
  
Darcy had once asked Ms. McKelly why those two vampires fought on their side and not with the others. She had smiled and said to ask his watcher. When Darcy returned to Sunnydale a few years later for some field training he asked his watcher why Willow and Spike were good. She smiled at him and said that he already knew why. In a sense that was true. Everyone knew the history. How Spike had redeemed himself in service of a slayer, how Willow had been turned and granted her soul, but it still seemed like things were missing. So Darcy asked his watcher why Willow was granted her soul and Spike wasn't, and why the other vampires couldn't get theirs.  
  
Darcy was eight when he first learned a fragment of the truth that would not be revealed until years later. His watcher had looked at him with a sadness in her eyes Darcy had never seen there before. She had said, in words she hoped an eight year-old would understand, "Well, Darcy, souls are funny things. Naturally Ms. McKelly taught you how the demon takes over, leaving the human's soul intact but useless. There was a spell used once, to restore a vampire's soul as punishment. Years later a witch found the spell and had to once again use it on that very vampire because he had lost his soul again. It worked and his soul was restored. About eight years later that same witch was turned into a vampire. Her friends found the spell and used it to restore her soul and bring back the girl they loved dearly. Unfortunately she was the last vampire allowed back their soul, for around this time Angelus emerged. An integral part of the soul restoration spell was an orb called the Orb of Thessala. Angelus, realizing this spell could ruin his plans, had them all destroyed."  
  
At the time Darcy had accepted his watcher's story. He was eight and she had made it sound dangerous and fun. Darcy while lost in his thoughts, had stopped walking and was startled at the sudden appearance of his friends at the other end of the tunnel. Looking at Willow, he remembered when he had found out that she was the girl in the story. It had been her friends that had loved her so much that they restored her soul. Looking at Spike Darcy also remembered when he had learned the truth of that whole story.  
  
Willow had been hurt badly in a fight against a chaos demon. Her tiny body ripped to shreds and her heart failing slowly. Spike had been there, fighting alongside the heroes from the past. Willow's friend Xander Harris, the legendary watcher, begged Spike to stop his friend from dying. Spike argued against this course of action, but was soon swayed by his own care for the tiny witch. He drained her then filled her up again with his own blood. Immediately after she rose, Xander and the others performed the soul restoration spell, returning to Willow, that which she had lost.  
  
"Oi, Darcy, wake up lad," Spike was waving a hand in front of Darcy who awoke from his thoughts. Darcy looked curiously back and forth between the two vampires before him, a question forming in his head. "You okay there," Spike asked worriedly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Uh Willow, Spike, may I ask you both a question? It's rather personal." Spike looked uncomfortably at Willow then shrugged and went to stand against the wet, slimy wall of the tunnel. He began to search for the lock to the secret door hidden there. He never really mastered all the top secret stuff, Willow noticed.  
  
"Go ahead Darcy," Willow asked cheerfully. Darcy had noticed she seemed to get extra cheerful when she was uncomfortable or sorry for something.  
  
"Um well I was thinking about that story, the one where you got turned and your soul was restored to you," at Darcy's words he noticed Spike's face grimace and Willow shift uncomfortably. Obviously the situation still bothered them both after all these years, or maybe it was just the memories.. Willow urged me to ask my question. "Well I was just wondering why, if you got your soul restored Wills, how come, how come you didn't Spike?" The silence his question brought hung heavy in the air and Darcy began to regret bringing it up.  
  
Willow turned towards Spike and both Darcy and she watched as he rose slowly. The cigarette he was smoking hung limply from his lips. He looked up at Willow, long and hard. He walked over to her and touched the spot on her neck where he had bitten her so many years ago. "I didn't want to you know, bite you. You were so tiny, and so much blood. That damn pillock of a demon bled more then you though by the time Xander and I were through with him. When he asked me to bite you, I didn't want to. But then I saw his face and I knew I had to do it. We couldn't lose you to Red, not you too." His voice broke then and he lowered his hand and head but continued speaking. "They did ask me whelp," he said finally looking at Darcy. "They did ask me and I said no. I'd never wanted me sodden soul, never bloody needed it." Having found the lock, Spike pushed open the door and left his two companions as he walked through the side door and into the Bronze.  
  
"What does he mean he never needed it? Was it cause he had the chip back then?" Darcy asked Willow.  
  
  
  
She turned her kind eyes on him. "No it wasn't the chip Darcy. It was a girl. A girl and love. They took the place of his soul and made him what he is today." She smiled once more at Darcy and followed Spike into the Bronze.  
  
The door was open still and Darcy could hear the others. He could hear keys being punched on computers, reports being printed, and people talking strategy. Saving the information he had just received to analyze later, he walked into the Bronze, and closed the heavy secret door behind him. He stood in the middle of the largest west coast demon destroy operations. It had always sounded fancy to him. Like something out of those military novels he had read in the library. Really it was a bunch of rag tag people in a messy, musty factory that was located where the old Bronze used to be.  
  
"Darcy! Darcy! Get over here," he heard his watcher calling for him. He walked passed computers and piles of old books and headed towards where Spike, Willow, and his watcher were standing. A warm smile spread over Darcy's face as he approached his watcher. He had known her as long as he had known the other two, and she was his most favourite person.  
  
"Darcy dear, are you well, you took no damage?" she fretted over him as he stopped in front of them.  
  
"Leave the poor boy alone will you Anya! He took no damage," Spike said, though he couldn't help but smile at the motherly way Anya doted over her ward. "So before we head into that meeting about tonight's huge failure, what's this big news you mentioned earlier."  
  
"Huh," Anya looked at Spike, "Oh right, yes news," she said happily clapping her hands. "The girls are here."  
  
Spike and Willow both attacked her with questions at once. "What?" "When?" "Why didn't you call us?" Finally Anya cut them both off.  
  
"The other slayers and their watchers arrived about an hour ago. As for why they are here early, I don't know yet," Anya answered.  
  
Spike groaned, "Great! All four slayers in one place, like Angelus isn't gonna know somethin's bloody well goin' on now!"  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sunnydale, CA  
  
The Bronze  
  
April 17, 2002  
  
It had been over six months since Buffy had been brought back to life and at the moment she was wishing she were dead again.  
  
"Oh come on Slayer, it isn't that bad, admit it! Better then you thought," he stated happily tugging her deeper into the crowd.  
  
"Right, cause wrestling is so my favourite sport Spike," she replied sarcastically. He smiled at her and continued to lead her through the crowds. She couldn't remember why she had agreed to allow Spike to take her here. She tried to kid herself and say that it was because she felt sorry for the vamp. He was holed up with Xander now and was working at the Magic Shop, much to Gile's chagrin. Anya enjoyed his employment seeing as he had the most knowledge on the stuff if the shop, after herself of course.  
  
Buffy couldn't contain herself any longer as she saw Spike stare in wonderment at the life-size cardboard stand-ups of the wrestlers. "Slayer, I'm buying one."  
  
"Whatever Spike, " Buffy said before going to get herself a drink. An hour later she was finally able to drag away from the Bronze. As they were walking home from the convention, she looked back over the past six months and as always, was amazed at how much Spike had become a part of her life, and the other's lives as well. Even Xander was starting to tolerate him. When Xander had told Spike he could move in with him, Giles nearly had a heart attack.  
  
"Slayer, where are you?" Spike asked looking at Buffy. She stopped and smiled at him.  
  
"Just thinking," she replied. He walked up to her and grabbed her hand before continuing walking. Two months ago such an action would have caused Buffy to kick his ass immediately, but recently she had been allowing little physical contact here and there. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't want to analyze it just now. So she let it happen.  
  
"Thinking about what Slayer?" Spike asked as they turned onto her street walking beneath a street lamp.  
  
Buffy decided to be honest. "You."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yes you, is that so hard to believe?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well actually yeah," he said. "Normally you try not to think about me or if you do, it usually involves kicking my arse!" He had that cute little smile on his face and Buffy allowed herself to melt.  
  
They walked the rest of the way to her house in silence. As the opened the door they were bombarded with that which is known as Dawn.  
  
"Oh my god, you will never believe what is going on. Everyone is at the shop, we have to go NOW!" she babbled to them as she ran to Buffy's car. Spike shot a worried look at Buffy and ran into the house to get her car keys while Buffy ran to follow Dawn to the car.  
  
Spike made record time to the shop and all the while Dawn refused to tell them what was going on. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," was all she would say. Parking in the handicap spot in front, the trio dashed into the Magic Shop yelling for Giles who was standing right in front of them.  
  
"Do calm down," he said calmly as he cleaned his glasses. "Dawn did you tell them?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Tell us what Giles?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Is everyone okay Rupert?" Spike asked at the same time.  
  
"What? Oh yes, everyone is fine and in the training room. Do follow me," he said as he led them into the back. When they walked in they noticed Xander, Willow, Tara, and Anya sitting on the mats on one side of the room staring at a young girl sitting on the mats on the other side of the room.  
  
"Who's this then?" Spike asked carefully. He didn't like what he was sensing from this girl.  
  
"This, Buffy, is Isabella; the slayer."  
  
"The what!" Buffy shouted. "Oh my god, is Faith dead? How Giles? When? Why didn't Angel tell us?" Buffy asked Giles all the while advancing on him.  
  
"Actually, um, I assure you Buffy, Faith is not dead," he said and cleared his throat. Buffy, Spike, and Dawn looked at the others who were just as confused as they were. They all then looked at Isabella, who pushed her shoulders back with a confident look in her eyes.  
  
"Well if Faith isn't dead, then why is she here Giles?" Buffy asked.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"This should not have happened this way. The girl was never supposed to be called."  
  
"Well it is done, regardless of what was supposed to be."  
  
"This will change the future. There will nothing but pain now."  
  
"Then fix it Lily. Go to the future and fix it."  
  
"It isn't that simple. We'd have to convince him to give it all up. Everything he had."  
  
"Ha, look at what he has now. He will agree, with time."  
  
"I will try."  
  
"Please do Lily, I would hate to see what would happen if he says no."  
  
"Imagine the future riding on that stubborn creature."  
  
"Don't fret Lily, he'll see the way of things."  
  
End Chapter 1: They Stood Up For Love  
  
Next: Chapter 2: I Wanna Dance With You  
  
"After eons of war and lifetimes, she's smilin' and free. " -Live  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Okay so what do you think!!!???!!!!  
  
By: Ally (Hafthand@aol.com 


	3. Chapter 2: I Wanna Dance With You

Title: All Along the Watchtower (Chapter 2)  
  
Author: Hafthand@aol.com  
  
Summary: This is the "All Along the Watchtower" series. Things tend to spin out of control. What if something happened in the past that changed the future, and not for good. In the future Spike and Willow, with the help of the new Slayers, battle it out against the deadliest enemy yet as Hell slowly makes it's home on Earth. Meanwhile in the past, Buffy and Spike and the rest of the Scoobies are only beginning to fall down the path that changed the world.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Property of Joss and his wonderful company of Mutant Enemy  
  
Archiving: I would love it archived, but please ask me first so I know where it goes!  
  
NOTES: PLEASE READ VERY IMPORTANT!! Okay folks, this is going to be a long story with many chapters, and be somewhat confusing at first, but I promise it will make sense later. Okay this is how it is set up. Each chapter begins with a song, this song should be read because it helped influence the chapter and may give clues to what will occur. After that, the story. Now the story goes like this: The future world of Sunnydale is where the action of this story takes place. The flashbacks to Buffy's time sheds light on how the Earth came to be overrun by demons. The flashbacks are also the lighter parts of this fic seeing as the future parts are pretty dark.  
  
This is a drama fic with dark parts and humorous parts.  
  
Any questions, please e-mail me at Hafthand@aol.com  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 2: I Wanna Dance With You  
  
****This song fits best with the second part of this story, the bit that takes place in the past****  
  
"Sitting on the beach  
  
The island king of love  
  
Deep in Fijian Seas  
  
Deep in some blissful dream  
  
Where the goddess finally sleeps  
  
In the lap of her lover  
  
Subdued in all her rage  
  
And I'm aglow with the taste of the demons driven out  
  
And happily replaced with the presence of real love  
  
  
  
I wanna dance with you  
  
I see a world where people live and die with grace  
  
The Karmic ocean dried up and leave no trace  
  
I wanna dance with you  
  
I see a sky full of stars that change our minds  
  
And lead us back to a world we would not face  
  
  
  
The stillness in your eyes  
  
Convinces me that I  
  
I don't know a thing  
  
And I've been around the world and I've tasted all the wines  
  
A half a billion times came sickened to your shores  
  
You show me what this life is for  
  
  
  
I wanna dance with you  
  
I see a world where people live and die with grace  
  
The Karmic ocean dried up and leave no trace  
  
I wanna dance with you  
  
I see a sky full of stars that change our minds  
  
And lead us back to a world we would not face  
  
  
  
In this altered state  
  
Full of so much pain and rage  
  
You know we got to find a way to let it go  
  
  
  
Sittin' on the beach  
  
The island king of love  
  
Deep in Fijian Seas  
  
Deep in the heart of it all where the goddess finally sleeps  
  
After eons of war and lifetimes  
  
She's smilin' and free, nothin' left  
  
But a cracking voice and a song, oh lord  
  
  
  
I wanna dance with you  
  
I see a world where people live and die with grace  
  
The Karmic ocean dried up and leave no trace  
  
I wanna dance with you  
  
I see a sky full of stars that change our minds  
  
And lead us back to a world we would not face  
  
We would not face."  
  
-"I Wanna Dance With You" by Live  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sunnydale, CA  
  
Cliff  
  
April 18, 2264  
  
The wind whipped her shoulder-length red hair in the pre-dawn air. The sun preparing to rise and shed light on another day of fighting for survival. Dawn always reminded her of them. The ones she had loved long ago. The ones she fought for now. Sitting on the cliff, looking out over what was considered Sunnydale, she allowed her mind to wander to the past for the first time in a while. She remembered Xander and Buffy; Dawn and Giles; Tara and Oz. All of them people she had loved, all of them people she had lost.  
  
She recalled last night's meeting in the Bronze.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"The other slayers and their watchers arrived about an hour ago. As for why, I don't know yet," Anya answered.  
  
Spike groaned, "Great! All four slayers in one place, like Angelus isn't gonna know somethin's bloody well goin' on now!"  
  
"Oh come on dead boy, do you really think that poof is that smart?" Spike turned to the owner of the voice and let out a holler of joy and gave one of his rare smiles. Running up to the man he embraced his friend. Darcy was somewhat shocked to see Spike happy and so openly friendly with someone, let alone a human.  
  
"Alex my boy, how are you?" Spike asked the newcomer. Darcy knew who it was, he'd known him almost all his life. He watched silently though as Willow ran into his open arms and hugged him for what seemed like eternity.  
  
"Oh Alex, when Anya said the slayers were here I was hoping you had come as well," she said allowing the man to finally breathe.  
  
"Well Will, you really think I would let my slayer come by herself to this dump? I think not." Alexander Lavelle Harris the 12th looked exactly like his ancestor. His brown hair sticking every which way, his clothes, though watchery, were baggy. Willow and Spike loved the boy greatly, but it still hurt a little to look at him. At that moment Anya walked into the room and approached the other watcher. The man turned and smiled. "Well grandma, you miss me?" he asked earning him a playful slap from his great, great, great, etc., grandmother.  
  
"Keep it up Alexander. You call me grandma again I will so go vengeance on your ass. Do you see wrinkles on this face, do you?" Anya asked seriously causing the other adults to laugh.  
  
Growing serious Alex turned to the vampires. "I hear you had a bit of a run in earlier?" The others quickly sobered up and Spike put am arm around his old friend.  
  
"Well whelp, we did, but later okay. We've got a meeting in twenty minutes, we'll fill you in then. Now tell me, and don't get me wrong, happy to see you, but what are you all doing here so soon?"  
  
"The Council thought it 'prudent' we arrive unexpectedly and together. Their seers see something big coming and soon. They feel slayer services will be better here then all spread out." Suddenly they were interrupted by a tiny ball of colour that ran and tackled the stunned watcher. "Emma, Emma calm down," he was able to gasp out under the bone crushing hug the tiny slayer was giving him.  
  
"Oh Dad, I missed you sooo much. Did you know Laura wouldn't even tell me you were gonna be here. I mean come one, I'm the friggen slayer, I should be prepared for everything, but then I saw Taylor and I knew you were here and I just had to find you and-" Alex effectively cut of the slayer with a hand over her mouth. "Sorry," she mumbled from behind his hand.  
  
"It's okay honey. I missed you to," he said returning his daughter's hug. Emma Harris was a tiny slip of a girl. She had her father's dark curly hair, and her mother's pleasant face. She was 5 foot, when she stretched and skinnier the a piece of paper. Hard to believe so much power was present in her. She was uncommonly pleasant and hyper for a slayer. Most slayers looked grimly upon their fate, but Emma chose to enjoy each moment she was given. Darcy envied her that.  
  
Having untangled herself from her father she finally noticed the others and let out another squeal before throwing herself at Spike. Only his vampire strength saved him from tumbling to the ground. "Now, now pet, watch the ribs," he said while smiling down at the girl.  
  
"God I missed you too Uncle Spike. I was in Paris, fighting this Dehonna demon and he knew who you were, and I told him you were my Uncle, and he went on about traitors, and vamps gone soft, so I told him where he could shove it, then I killed him." Before Spike could comment, she was off again. "Did you know that little Alexander was called to London? He's there right now with Ms. McKelly, and he's so young. One of the youngest ever!" She said proudly informing the others of her brother's progress. Noticing Willow she threw herself at the vampire and hugged her dear friend closely.  
  
Spike, finally free, looked at Alex. "You didn't tell me little Alex was getting called. My god man he can't be more then 9."  
  
"Um, 8 actually, and well those bastards didn't tell me either till the night before. But I got to tell you, my boy is one brave kid. Took the news quite well and was even a tad bit excited. Did me proud he did," Alex said with a father's smile on his face.  
  
"Well you should be proud. Little Alexx is going to make a fine watcher," Willow said joining the conversation.  
  
Darcy took this opportunity to disappear into the next room where he lit up a cigarette as the other's caught up. He heard soft footsteps behind him and sniffed the air. That was one trait the girls did not have. He sniffed again and turned to greet the other slayer. "Shouldn't you be catching up or something. Getting your kumba yayas out?"  
  
"Just thought I'd say hello is all. Its been a while since we last saw each other," Emma said leaning against the wall opposite him. He gave her a slow assessment and realized she had changed a lot in the two years since they had seen each other.  
  
"Yeah well, been a bit busy s'all. You?" he asked offering her a smoke. She politely refused, her hyperness from before gone. This was shop talk, and for this she was always serious. She might be a tad more flighty and cheerful then most people he knew, but when it came to the fighting she moved like the wind. They had trained together for most of their youth. He had always envied her relationship with the others. He had always felt that they pushed him away a little.  
  
"Well after we left Sunnydale, Laura and I went to London first. Didn't stay long, took out a master while we were there, then continued on to Paris. Man Darcy, it's horrible there. The demons Angelus has ruling are just ruthless. I don't know why people stay there."  
  
"Where else have they got to go. Besides with a slayer in town, they probably figured they might as well stay," Darcy said. He turned and walked further down the room till he came to an entrance to a tunnel. He glanced over at Emma and walked into the tunnel. He waited for a moment and heard her following. When she appeared they walked in companionable silence through the sewer system beneath Sunnydale.  
  
"Dracula is there," Emma stated.  
  
"What?" Darcy said, actually surprised.  
  
"Yeah. I thought he and Angelus were on the outs but apparently he's got the prick ruling over Paris for him. Wonder what Drac's gettin' out of the deal. No way he would take orders from Angelus otherwise," Emma said while kicking stones into the water beside them.  
  
"Did you try to take him out?" Darcy asked stopping and looking at his companion. She to stopped and turned to him giving him a smile.  
  
"Yeah right Darcy, good one. You want me dead that badly?" she said laughingly.  
  
"No, you know I don't its just, I don't know. It seems like we sit back a lot more then we take chances," Darcy said angrily.  
  
"Yeah, well we do what we have to right. Laura said it'd be foolish to go after Drac alone. I agree. He's got all that mojo and shit." Darcy remembered Emma's watcher Laura Premont as being beautiful, but overly strict. It didn't surprise him that she had opposed the idea of going after Dracula. "Well anyhow, how have things been going in good old Sunnyhell?"  
  
He laughed a little at the name. Spike always called it that too. "Same old I guess. Except the vamps are getting bolder and more numerous. The demons too. Spike and Willow think Angelus is trying to make us leave. They think he's trying to drive us to him in L.A.." They had reached the end of the tunnel and began climbing the ladder to the sewer access. Pushing the hatch away, Darcy emerged into the daylight in the middle of what used to be main street. Pushing himself out he reached down and needlessly helped Emma out onto her feet. She bent down, replaced the cover and they started walking into town.  
  
Back when they had been training together, they used to walk the town by day, the only time their vampire keepers couldn't follow them. Darcy was always curious as to why they felt the need to personally train them for so long. The vampires trained all the slayers of course, but they had never been as overprotective of the others as they had been with them. Darcy had always brushed it off saying that they were like that with him because he was the only male slayer, and they acted that way towards Emma because she was practically family to them. But now he wasn't so sure.  
  
"Darcy, you still with me," Emma asked cheerfully. Darcy came out of his thoughts and looked at the girl beside him. He was a year older then her, yet she had always managed to lead when they were together. She had grown a lot in the two years she had been gone. If things were different, he might actually have taken her to one of those clubs from the past. But things were different, and he didn't want to think about what could be, instead he had to live with what was.  
  
"Yeah just thinking s'all. I was wondering, why are you all here now that- bloody hell. Demons," he said grabbing Emma's arm and pulling them into an alley.  
  
"What kind?" she asked pulling her short sword from behind her.  
  
"A Bauta, we can take him. He's alone," Darcy replied while reaching down and pulling his pant leg up. He retrieved his own sword and stood up. "Ready?"  
  
"Oh hell yeah. Haven't killed anything in two days. Getting rusty," she said and giggled before going to do her job. He stepped out after her, preparing for battle.  
  
~~~~Back inside the Bronze, the watchers, vampires, and the other slayers sat around a long, wide wooden table discussing the recent increase in demon activity. Anya had expressed concern that Darcy and Emma were absent, but Spike said to let them be. He had seen them go into the tunnels and figured they were catching up. Right now though, a heated discussion on what action should be taken was going on.  
  
"No it isn't just coincidence watcher. He knows what we're planning and he's trying to throw us off, trying to drive us out," Spike said angrily glaring at Tobithias Smith. Toby, as they called him, was Sarah Prepon's watcher and he was rather new at his job. The previous slayer had been led into an ambush in Hong Kong about a year ago and Sarah had been called. She was the youngest of the slayer, only 14, but she was the tallest at 5'4". She had white blonde hair that fell to her hips, and a look of complete innocence on her face. Most slayers carried a swagger, a confidence, but Sarah was quiet and rarely spoke. Toby on the other hand was young, and somewhat rash.  
  
"Oh come on Spike, How could Angelus possibly have found out about the spells? He isn't that smart. More muscle then anything," he said glaring back at the vampire. "Most vampires are."  
  
This earned a growl from Spike who stood up so quickly his chair went flying backwards. Taylor, the third slayer stood and held him back. "Spike," she hissed at him, "he's just pushing your buttons. Let it be." Spike grunted but retrieved his chair and sat back down. Willow shot Taylor a grateful look before patting Spike's arm and whispering in his ear. Taylor turned to Toby. "You need to learn some tact young man," she said glaring at Toby and sitting back down.  
  
By some weird twist of fate, Taylor was actually older then Tobithias by three years. Taylor was actually the oldest slayer in a long time. She was 23 years old, had long silky black hair, and was of Asian decent. She had been called when she was 14 and was fast approaching her ten year mark. She knew her time would be up soon, and had accepted it. A calm peace surrounded her and she was the most level headed of the group. Alex was her watcher and so was close to Emma. Taylor too had trained with Spike and Willow, and she respected them as they respected her. She had been sent to Peking five years ago and there she had stayed traveling throughout Asia to where she was needed. Because of her efforts, Asia was the safest place to live next to Sunnydale. If you could really call anywhere safe.  
  
Alex took this moment to speak up, breaking the tension in the room. "Listen, we have to assume Angelus knows we're all here. We also have to assume he has an idea about our plans. Why else would we call all the slayers to Sunnydale. He's not stupid, but there is hope. He can't possibly know everything we plan, so we have to work with that."  
  
"Well, I agree. He can't know everything, and we can't just dump these plans we have worked so hard on," added Anya. She brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face and looked at everyone at the table. "You slayers are the most powerful in a long time. Darcy and Emma alone are far stronger then any slayer has been since-" she stopped and looked at Spike and Willow before continuing. "Well they're stronger then anyone has been in a long time. And Taylor, you are older and more experienced. Sarah is just as strong as Taylor and has the added advantage of a magical background. Add in Willow who is the sorceress of all sorceresses and Spike with his inside knowledge and strength and that is enough to hope." She paused now looking around the table. "We are stronger and more organized now, then we have ever been. If we start fighting with each other, or giving up, then we really don't have shot. But if we stick it out till the end, I think we have a shot."  
  
A silence hung over the others as they soaked in Anya's words. She sighed and looked at Spike. "Spike, we have worked so long, so hard for this. We have lost so many loved ones. Isn't it time to end it?" she addressed Spike quietly. The two looked at each other and for a moment the others were gone. A tear fell from Anya's eyes and Spike's features softened as he looked at his old friend. "Can't we make the pain go away now?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah pet, I think its been long enough. Don't you agree Red?" he asked looking fondly at his childe beside him.  
  
"Yeah. I think Angel has had his fun. Let's have ours, for old times sake," she said grabbing his hand and smiling at Anya.  
  
The others felt uncomfortable at the closeness of the three. They were all aware that the two vampires and the vengeance demon had been fighting this battle long before they were born. They didn't know everything, they didn't know the truth of the past, but they knew that if they hoped to beat the evil, they had to have those three with them.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Willow sighed remembering the meeting from last night. She wiped a tear from her eye and blew out an unneeded breath. Raising her eyes she looked out where Sunnydale lay in ruins. She cast her gaze over crumbled buildings, ghosts of structures that once stood. The city lay in destruction, yet there were signs of life present here and there. The scene reminded her of pictures she had once seen of cities after World War II. The city looked as though it had seen a war. She laughed bitterly at that thought. War. She'd been fighting a war for over 260 years. 260 years. Never had she thought she would live that long. In the back of her mind she still considered herself a young girl surrounded by friends and family.  
  
True, she was still surrounded by friends and even a little family, but she was a young girl no longer. Glancing at the sky again she figured she should return inside before the sun rose to a dangerous level. Turning slowly she cast one last glance over the ruin that was her home and whispered to the wind, "I miss the sunlight."  
  
Making her way to the cave entrance she noticed Darcy leaning against the cool rock smoking a cigarette, and lost in his own thoughts. She paused and allowed herself to look at the young boy before her. He was different then the other male slayers she had trained. It wasn't just that the prophets thought he was the one, Willow had felt certain he was different the moment she had first seen him as a baby. So much depended on him and the others, so much depended on the youth.  
  
The boy had learned quickly, and had excelled at his studies as well. He was very strong, fast, and very opinionated. Back in the tunnel yesterday she had not really been shocked by his question about Spike. She was surprised that he had figured out that piece of the puzzle. How long before he asked the other questions? Questions that couldn't be answered, but should be? Willow wondered if he ever yearned for a normal life, though she feared he didn't know what normal was.  
  
She smiled sadly as she remembered an old friend telling her how she wished her life was just normal. That slayer had even quit the Council trying to obtain a semblance of that normal life. But Darcy and the girls would never know a normal life, even if they did defeat Angelus. "God how had things gotten so bad," Willow thought to herself. It just wasn't fair any more.  
  
The vampiress approached the young slayer and leaned against the rock next to him. "You really shouldn't smoke you know. They'll give you cancer," she smiled at the boy.  
  
"I won't live that long," he said grimly.  
  
"Don't say that Darcy," Willow said in a whisper.  
  
"Why not?" he asked turning to face her. "Tell me why I should care about getting cancer, or getting sick? It's my destiny to die. Death is all I have. Ha, I guess you could say death is my gift." Willow froze, her heart would have been pounding if it still worked. She stared out at the lightening sky and remembered. Remembered fighting to bring her back from her own mind. Remembered mourning her. Remembered bringing her back. Willow remembered everything she tried to block out. "Willow, you okay?"  
  
The vampire turned and gave the slayer a cold dark look. "Don't you ever say that again Darcy. Never say that unless you understand it. Do. You. Hear. Me? Death is not your gift, it is no one's gift. You have no idea..." she let her thoughts go unfinished. Her head was aching and her heart seemed to be aching as well. Darcy, seeing how upset Willow was chose not to continue. Something about that statement obviously unnerved her. He was startled when she spoke again, and even more so at what she said. "You even hear of Glorificus?"  
  
"Of course, Buffy defeated her. She was a goddess trapped in this dimension seeking the key that would open the portal that would bring her home. But even as a god she was no match for the slayer. Buffy never gave up in her fight against the god and eventually defeated her though at the cost of her own life. Locked in a hell dimension for eternity the slayer seemed to be fated to suffer for eternity. However a powerful witch brought back the slayer for her journey was not yet over. Ms. McKelly really liked that story. She said it showed that even against impossible odds, if you stay true to yourself then you can beat the bad guy. Used to think that myself," Darcy muttered the last bit while taking another drag on her cigarette.  
  
"Well it's a good lesson and you should always remember it. Don't give up hope Darcy. Just because there doesn't seem to be an end in sight, it doesn't mean we won't win." After this Willow paused and seemed to consider something before continuing. "Buffy did give up though." This statement brought a look of shock from the young slayer. "For a moment she gave up, and for that moment she completely shut down. She was overwhelmed, tired, and afraid. There didn't seem to be an end in sight. Glory kept chasing them, kept killing, kept destroying, and every time Buffy fought her, she gave up a little more hope. But the slayer's friends refused to give up and they fought to bring her back from herself, they fought so she could."  
  
Darcy was slightly shocked but soon disappointment crept in. "You mean to tell me, the Slayer of all slayers, the exalted Chosen one, gave up. Bloody hell Willow. What kind of slayer was she then? Gave up. I don't believe it. A good slayer never gives up, no matter how bleak the future looks," he said gravely. "Even I would never give up. I may question certain things we do, but I don't ever let the darkness get the best of me." Darcy threw his cigarette on the ground and was about to step on it when Willow's booted foot beat him to it. His eyes traveled slowly up her lean body till they met her dark, cold, angry eyes. Darcy pressed back into the rock, not afraid, but shocked at the emotion present in his trainer's eyes.  
  
"Buffy was the greatest slayer that has ever walked this earth. She lived longer then any other slayer. How do you think she did that? Yes she gave up, yes she was afraid, but she was also prepared to die for the one's she loved no matter the cost," Willow sighed. She lowered her gaze and backed off the boy a little. "Darcy, Buffy gave up because someone very close to her was taken away. She had been fighting so very hard for so very long that she didn't know what else to do. She was tired, hungry, angry and there seemed to be no hope. But she found her way and saved the day. Like always."  
  
"Like always? Yeah, until the day when you aren't the one doing the saving any more. Buffy died twice before she finally was offed. Not all of us can look forward to not only one, but two resurrections. This life, this pathetic existence is all we have to look forward to. Buffy got lucky. We won't. Besides where are you coming up with this stuff anyway. This isn't what I was taught, this isn't what the history books say. What makes you so sure it went down like that?" He watched as Willow walked to the mouth of the cave and he glanced at the sky. The sun was peeking over the horizon. He turned to follow her and stopped when he saw her looking longingly at the sky.  
  
Willow turned her eyes to the boy and made a decision. "I was there Darcy. I watched my best friend die so we wouldn't have to. And when I couldn't accept that she was dead, I tore her out of Heaven and brought her back to life. And you know what? I'll never forgive myself for it." With that the vampire turned and disappeared into the cave.  
  
Darcy stood shocked as the new day's sunlight washed over him, warming his body. He knew Willow was old but he had never thought that she had been around when the legendary slayer lived. It made sense to him now. He turned and looked back over the city of rubble. It all made sense. Willow, a vampire with a soul, fighting with the good fight. He had always wondered how she had found her way to the good side, but had never asked. He had just accepted it like everyone else had. A sudden thought occurred to him. If Willow was there, then Spike... It was too much.  
  
He couldn't think anymore. He didn't know what to think anymore. So many lies, so many fights, so many battles. He was fated to a life of battling evil, was he also fated to battle for the truth? How could they expect him to fight for their cause, when everyday he found out more of the truth behind lies they had told him? He knew his job, knew his destiny, so if the world rested on him, wasn't he entitled to the truth? He just couldn't understand why they would hide the fact that they had fought along side Buffy Summers and Faith. Why wouldn't they want the world to know that they had done even more heroic things then they already had? Darcy made a decision then and there. He was going to get to the bottom of these mysteries.  
  
He turned to go back into the Bronze when another realization hit him "Did she say Heaven?" he asked the silence around him.  
  
~~~  
  
Sunnydale, CA  
  
Beach  
  
April 18, 2002  
  
Buffy watched as the water rushed towards her bar feet and let out a sigh as the cool liquid surrounded her feet. She glanced at the pre-dawn sky and saw the sky beginning to lighten. Her hands ran through the sand and she allowed herself a moment to just relax. She closed her eyes and let her body fall gently to the sand. It had been a long night and she wanted nothing more then to go to sleep, but there was so much in her head that she had come to the beach in hopes of escaping the world for a moment. She turned her head so her cheek rested on the sand. She opened her eyes and watched as in the distance a bird stuck it's bill in the sand looking for food.  
  
Inevitably her thoughts turned to last night encounter at the Magic Shop.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"This, Buffy, is Isabella; the slayer."  
  
"The what!" Buffy shouted. "Oh my god, is Faith dead? How Giles? When? Why didn't Angel tell us?" Buffy asked Giles all the while advancing on him.  
  
"Actually, um, I assure you Buffy, Faith is not dead," he said and cleared his throat. Buffy, Spike, and Dawn looked at the others who were just as confused as they were. They all then looked at Isabella, who pushed her shoulders back with a confident look in her eyes.  
  
"Well if Faith isn't dead, then why is she here Giles?" Buffy asked.  
  
  
  
"Well you died, didn't you?" asked the new slayer in an accent that sounded either Spanish or Italian. What she said however caused the group to grow still an quiet.  
  
"Well yeah, she did, but look, she's back, good as new. She's like the Energizer bunny. She keeps going, and going, and-" Xander was cut off by a jab in the gut from Willow's elbow.  
  
"Yes Buffy did die, but Faith carries the line now," Giles told Isabella.  
  
A throat being cleared behind them drew all their eyes to a young man at the door. He stood about 6'2", was about 25, had shaggy brown hair and was extremely good looking. He wore a baggy black sweater over tan kakhis. "Well yes that is what we thought was true Rupert. But as we have never dealt with to slayers before, we really didn't know what to expect. Buffy is a slayer, as is Faith. Buffy died. When a slayer dies another is called, regardless of the fact that there is already another one."  
  
"I think I understand. It doesn't matter that one had already been called. Buffy died again therefore calling forth another slayer. So now there are three lines from which the slayer blood runs. Incredible," Giles said glancing back and forth at the two girls.  
  
"Yeah, okay. Yay new slayer. Let's hope she isn't like the last one. You I take it are her watcher," Buffy addressed the man at the doorway.  
  
"Why yes. I am William Percy Tindall. You I gather are Ms. Summers," Mr. William Percy Tindall said in a very British voice.  
  
"Great another Wesley. Gillllesss!!!" Buffy whined turning to her watcher. Spike couldn't contain his laugh and took out a smoke.  
  
"Another slayer. Jesus Christ! Can't you ponces stop with the slayers already. Cut us vamps a break for cryin' out loud. Bloody hell, no matter this is the Hell Mouth. Demons are gonna stop coming," he said as he walked over and settled down next to Xander.  
  
"Ah yes, Mr. William "the Bloody" I presume. The Council informed me of your participation. I hope you will not cause trouble or I will be forced to have Isabel stake you," said William. Spike just looked at the watcher with a look of utter amusement.  
  
Xander started laughing and pointing at Spike. "You are so...gonna get...staked," he managed to get out between gasps for air. "You are always causing trouble."  
  
"Oh bloody hell Harris," Spike said before hitting him upside the head. They both yelled in pain and looked at each other before both bursting out laughing.  
  
"I don't think they should live together any more," Dawn whispered to Anya, who nodded in agreement.  
  
"Okay back to what's important here. Me, her, and Faith. Three slayers Giles, three. Well, kinda with Faith being locked up and everything," Buffy said.  
  
"Yes well, this could be beneficial. You will be able to hunt less and well maybe when Faith is released you could retire," Giles said hopefully. The room grew quiet as they waited for Buffy's reply.  
  
Her face was sad and she smiled to herself. "Have a normal life, kids, family," she said almost to herself. "No, Giles, no," she said shaking her head. "That isn't for me. I didn't come back from the dead twice just so I could sit back and let people I could be helping die. No, I want a warrior's death."  
  
"Here, here!!" Xander and Spike shouted at the same time. They looked at each other and dissolved into laughter again.  
  
At this point Tara stood up shyly and said, "Maybe we should um, assssk, Isabella what she feels about all this." Again the room grew quite as all eyes turned to the young girl on the floor. She was young, 16 years old, brown shoulder-length hair. She was tall and beautiful, definitely foreign. She didn't back down under the gazes of those present. Instead she stood up and met Buffy's eyes.  
  
"I too am a slayer, though not as experienced. I will fight beside you till I meet my death," she spoke firmly.  
  
"Okay, we are so gonna have to lighten you up," Buffy said turning to the new watcher. "So, Watcher, tell me, how are you at breaking the rules?"  
  
Before William Percy Tindall could answer Xander walked over to the new slayer and asked, "So you ever wrestled an alligator, nude?"  
  
"Xander!" Three female voices shouted at him in unison.  
  
"What?" Xander asked looking shocked.  
  
  
  
~~~  
  
Last night had been long and painful. Painful because part of Buffy regretted not retiring. She was 21, lived a lot longer then most slayers, and averted more apocalypses then she cared to think about. Didn't she deserve a rest, a normal life? She sat up, brushing the sand from her face. She laughed and realized she would never have a normal life. Nor did she want it, well mostly. Sure she dreamed of kids and PTA meetings, and soccer Saturdays, but really she would always feel something missing if she gave up slaying. It had been a part of her for so long she refused to let it go. The other thing was that she would never be able to sit back and let people get hurt if she knew she could help them.  
  
It was still another 15 minutes until sunrise but she couldn't sit still any longer so she stood and stretched. She turned and walked back up the beach then stopped as she noticed a certain blonde vampire leaning against a cliff face smoking watching her progress up the beach. She sighed and walked to him leaning against the rock beside him. "What are you doing here Spike, it's almost sunrise?"  
  
"Not for a good fifteen minutes it ain't," he replied.  
  
"So then why are you stalking me?"  
  
"Just making sure you're okay pet," he said and turned to look at her. He reached a hand up and lightly brushed some sand off her face. He noticed her blush slightly at the contact and smiled, allowing his fingers to linger before dropping his arm. He took another drag on the cigarette and looked back at the quiet ocean. "Are you? Okay?"  
  
She watched his profile and considered if he was playing with her. She decided they had gotten past that and answered him. "Not really, but I will be. It's just like a blow you know. Each time a new slayer has been called. I was the only one, the Chosen one, then I wasn't and yeah I was jealous at first but then I realized it was a good thing. Two is better then one."  
  
"That was then love. You're older now pet, it isn't jealousy that is making you upset," he said glancing at her.  
  
"How do you do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Read me so well?" she asked. He smiled and pulled on his smoke. "You see right through me Spike. Well you're right, I'm not jealous. I'm upset I guess. With her here it could mean I could stop. Stop the killing. I could spend more time with Dawn, enjoy my friends, start a real life," she whispered the last part and turned away from the vampire beside her.  
  
"That life isn't for you love, and we all know it. You could never sit idly by as people died. You believe that an extra slayer out there could make the difference. And you're right. It does. Besides, you're the best. You quit, world goes to hell," he smiled at her. He actually got a genuine laugh out of her.  
  
"Yeah I guess it would," she said.  
  
Spike threw his smoke away and looked at the sky as if considering. Deciding he had enough time he turned to the tiny slayer and put out his hand. She looked at him strangely and asked "What?"  
  
"Dance with me Slayer?"  
  
"What? Spike, here? What?" she asked somewhat shocked at his odd request.  
  
"No one here love," he said and gestured around. "No one here to see you relax. No one here to see you dance."  
  
"You're here," she said looking at him.  
  
He grinned slightly and stepped closer to her. "Yes love, I am." She seemed to consider for a moment before slowly reaching up and grabbing his hand. She had had such a horrible few months, she just wanted to dance in the arms of a friend and feel comforted.  
  
Spike smiled as she took his hand and he pulled her behind him onto the beach. He turned to face her and pulled her slowly into his chest, his arms circling around her tiny waist, holding her protectively. She allowed herself to relax in the arms of her one time enemy and circled her arms around his neck, bringing her head against his chest. She let out a sigh and then smiled and she heard him purr softly.  
  
They danced to an silent song and both allowed the world to melt away. After a few minutes Spike pulled away slightly and brought a hand to her face, pushing a strand of hair away from her face. Their eyes locked and Buffy could feel her heart quicken. His eyes were so very blue. He started to lean in towards her, but she gently put her hand to his lips.  
  
"No, Spike. We can't. I can't. Not again," she said quietly, her eyes never leaving his.  
  
"I'm not him Buffy," he said using her name. "I won't ever leave you."  
  
"You don't know that," she whispered, tears beginning to form.  
  
"Yes I do love," he said as he removed her fingers from his lips. He closed the distance and captured her mouth in a soft, innocent kiss. A few moments later Buffy pushed back violently. Spike's eyes grew big as he asked "What? What did I do?"  
  
Buffy grabbed his hand and began to pull. "The sun Spike, move!" It was then that Spike noticed he was smoking slightly and allowed himself to be led away by the slayer. Thankfully he had brought his car and didn't complain when the slayer threw him in it. When he looked back up he was surprised to see Buffy laughing.  
  
"What?" he asked shifting into a better sitting position.  
  
"That was quite a searing kiss Spike!" she said still laughing.  
  
"Oh Ha ha Slayer. You weren't the one who almost went poof!"  
  
"Oh Spike, " she muttered as she wiped tears from her laughing eyes. "Take me home Spike. I need the rest." He looked at her afraid he had ruined what they had worked so hard to get by that moment on the beach. But thankfully she was smiling back at him. He hadn't seen her smile that way in a long time.  
  
"Right love. You need your slayer sleep," he said as he started the car. He paused when he felt her hand on his arm. He turned and looked at her.  
  
"Thank you," she said softly.  
  
Spike put the car in Drive and pulled away from the beach. 'Well,' he thought 'the future looks mighty interesting.'  
  
End: Chapter 2: I Wanna Dance With You  
  
Next: Chapter 3: With or Without You  
  
"I can't live, with or without you." -U2  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Well folks, what say you, verdict please!!  
  
By: Ally (Hafthand@aol.com) 


End file.
